Study on the Stability of Low-Carbon Magnesium Cementitious Materials in Sulfate Erosion Environments.

The current investigation focuses on the stability of the magnesium oxide-based cementitious system under the action of sulfate attack and the dry-wet cycle. The phase change in the magnesium oxide-based cementitious system was quantitatively analyzed by X-ray diffraction, combined with thermogravimetry/derivative thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscope, to explore its erosion behavior under an erosion environment. The results revealed that, in the fully reactive magnesium oxide-based cementitious system under the environment of high concentration sulfate erosion, there was only magnesium silicate hydrate gel formation and no other phase; however, the reaction process of the incomplete magnesium oxide-based cementitious system was delayed, but not inhibited, by the environment of high-concentration sulfate, and it tended to turn completely into a magnesium silicate hydrate gel. The magnesium silicate hydrate sample outperformed the cement sample, in terms of stability in a high-concentration sulfate erosion environment, but it tended to degrade considerably more rapidly, and to a greater extent, than Portland cement, in both dry and wet sulfate cycle environments.

Protective effects of Tripterygium glycoside on IL-1ß-induced inflammation and apoptosis of rat chondrocytes via microRNA-216a-5p/TLR4/NF-κB axis.

BACKGROUND: This study is designed to fill the research gap concerning the efficacy of Tripterygium glycoside (TG) on Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-induced inflammation and injury in chondrocytes. METHODS: Chondrocytes were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. After the treatment with IL-1ß and TG and transfection, the viability and apoptosis of chondrocytes were determined via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry. The levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-8 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Relative expression levels of potential microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) that may target toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), as well as apoptosis- and TLR4/nuclear factor-κB (TLR4/NF-κB) pathway-associated factors were quantified using quantitative real-time (qRT) PCR and western blot. The targeting relationship between miR-216a-5p and TLR4 was predicted by TargetScan and further confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: The viability was reduced yet the apoptosis and inflammation were promoted in IL-1ß-treated chondrocytes, where upregulation of Bax, Cleaved caspase 3, TLR4, Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), phosphorylation of P65 and IκBα yet downregulation of Bcl-2 and IκBα were evidenced. Strikingly, the above changes were reversed by TG. TG also offset the effects of IL-1ß on repressing the expression of miR-216a-5p, the miRNA targeting TLR4. Additionally, TLR4 overexpression neutralized the impacts of TG upon viability, apoptosis, and TLR4 expression in IL-1ß-treated chondrocytes, while all these effects induced by TLR4 overexpression could be restored by miR-216a-5p. CONCLUSIONS: TG protects chondrocytes against IL-1ß-induced inflammation and apoptosis via miR-216a-5p/TLR4/NF-κB axis.

Clinical Effect of Catgut Embedding plus Warm Needle Moxibustion on Improving Inflammation and Quality of Life of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients.

Objective: To clarify influence of catgut embedding plus warm needle moxibustion on improving inflammation and quality of life of knee osteoarthritis patients. Materials and Methods: The data of 120 patients with knee osteoarthritis admitted to our hospital from June 2018 to June 2021 were used for retrospective analysis. Patients were divided into control group and observation group in a random manner, with 60 cases each. The control group was orally administrated with one diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablet (100 mg) once a day, for 8 courses with 7 days for each course. The observation group underwent catgut embedding plus warm needle moxibustion. Results: The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index and gonitis Lequesne scores in two groups were decreased after treatment and were lower in observation group than control group (P < 0.05). Quality of life scores presented elevation after treatment and were higher in observation group than control group (P < 0.05). Curative efficacy presented no difference between two groups (P > 0.05), while clinical cure rate was higher in observation group than control group (X2 = 8.257, P = 0.006). Conclusion: Warm needle moxibustion plus functional exercise can effectively improve clinical symptoms of knee osteoarthritis patients, and improve their knee joint function and inflammatory response.

[Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern treated with acupoint embedding therapy: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference between the acupoint embedding therapy and polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules in the clinical efficacy on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern. METHODS: The multi-center clinical trial was adopted and 180 cases of NAFLD of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern were randomized into an embedding therapy group and a western medication group, 90 cases in each one. On the basis of general treatment such as diet control and proper physical exercise, in the embedding therapy group, the acupoint embedding therapy was applied to Ganshu (BL 18), Tai-chong (LR 3), Fenglong (ST 40), Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), once every 7 days; in the western medication group, polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules (essentiale) were prescribed, 228 mg/capsule, 2 capsules each time, three times a day. In 6 months of treatment, TCM syndrome score, liver enzymology, blood lipid and abdomen B-ultrasound examination were observed and compared before and after treatment between the two groups. RESULTS: (1) For TCM syndrome score, the total score in the embedding therapy group was lower significantly than that in the western medication group (P<0. 05); (2) For liver enzymology and blood lipid, the levels of serum alanine transarninase (ALT), serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST), total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglycerol (TG) in the embedding therapy group were reduced significantly as compared with those in the western medication group (all P<0. 05); (3) For abdomen B-ultrasound examination, the fatty liver degree in the embedding therapy group was relieved significantly as compared with that in the western medication group (P< 0. 05); (4) For clinical efficacy, the total effective rate was 89. 8%o (79/88) in the embedding therapy group, higher significantly than 76. 7% (69/90) in the western medication group(P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: The acupoint embedding therapy achieves the definite efficacy on NAFLD of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern, better than polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules.